growing things

it is hard to think about growing things when it is cold and dreary outside. at least until the spring catalogs come. our resident home gardner has plowed all his garden plots and they are now covered with blown in leaves. the farm fields have been chiseled down to just dirt, not sure why, seems a little stubble would keep the dirt from blowing away. but in any case the fields are being covered with cow pow to meld in the ground over the winter. the new house has two new trees...a locust which will grow tall and because it has small leaves will give filtered light and won't leave much to rake up...especially if the wind keeps blowing like it has when i have been there. we could have picked a house that had a big cottonwood in the yard shading the deck. but my sister and i thought it was too old and would soon be causing problems....like falling into the house. our other little tree is a nannyberry. our great grandmother was called nanny by her kids and grandkids and great grandkids so we thought that was appropriate. i think we can make jam from the berries if the birds don't get to them first. now we just have to work on grass and those other little plants that will make the yard cosy. a little grape vine would be nice for jelly. and maybe a chokecherry or two for jelly. roses for fragrance. every house needs roses. gardening will keep us busy and young for the rest of our lives.